Investigation underway after noose found on balcony at University of San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (KION) The University of San Francisco said it is investigating after a noose was found hanging from one of its housing units.
The university said the noose was reported at around 3:15 Tuesday afternoon in Loyola Village, and staff responded and removed the noose. The student who admitted to hanging it was removed from university housing, and based on what is learned during the investigation, the university said it may take more action.
"As a community, we are hurt and outraged. We want to emphasize how seriously we take this incident. A noose has historically been and continues to be a potent symbol of hate and anti-Black racism in the United States. It was used by white supremacists to lynch Black people. The symbolism of the noose as a form of domestic terror evokes a history of racial hatred, bigotry, and violence. USF condemns all acts of racism including artifacts and weapons that express the legacy of hatred, violence, and racism," university officials said in a statement.
After USF shared information about the incident, the Black Student Union shared a demand for action, saying the university should release the name of the student, expel the student, communicate hate crimes through the university-wide notification system and conduct wellness checks instead of expecting students to seek resources themselves.
USF officials said that because the investigation is still underway and the process that it involves, they will not release the name of the student or expel them at this point. Officials did say they will begin using the notification system to alert the university community about hate crimes and review its current communication practices and protocols.
